Together in Health: HFNJ’s April 2024 E-newsletter
April 2, 2024In this Issue:
- Letter from the Board Chair and CEO (below)
- First Quarter Grant Awards
- Interview: HFNJ’s Behavioral Health Task Force
- Mobile Mammography Unit
- Remembering Ellen Wagenberg
- Grants in Action: Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation
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Strong Foundations, Refreshed Focus
Key to every successful nonprofit organization are its board leaders. While the staff bring professional content and help execute the organization’s work, an engaged, strong and effective board provides critical strategic direction for any organization. Most nonprofit boards contribute in a variety of ways – generously giving of their time, talent, and treasure, as the common saying goes.
At HFNJ, we are thankful to have a highly engaged board, which especially contributes time and talent to help ensure the Foundation is impactful in its work. Among its many roles, trustees join staff on visits to the community; participate in quarterly board meetings and committee meetings; work with staff on special initiatives and task forces (we will profile the work of the Behavioral Health Task force later in this issue). In 2023, The Healthcare Foundation of NJ held 57 grant presentations, each of which was attended by an average of a dozen trustees, volunteering their time and talent to ensure that the Foundation continues to direct its funds in the most effective ways. Over the past year, the board has worked to educate itself on further promoting health equity, and issued a statement reinforcing our commitment to quality healthcare for all in the communities we serve. In total, we estimate that our trustees collectively contributed more than 700 hours of their time last year to the activities of HFNJ – an incredible legacy of volunteer service.
HFNJ’s Board of Trustees and staff in 2023
Among our 25 active board members are some who have been involved in the Foundation since its inception, and several with decades-long tenures of contributing knowledge and wisdom that have shaped the Foundation in indelible ways. Trustees have led the drive to ensure that our decision making is based on sound, data-driven information. They also serve as additional eyes and ears within the community, helping us to connect with a wide range of our community partners.
In the months ahead, our Board will continue their service to the community through their work at HFNJ. In particular, we will be looking to refine our strategy for how to have the greatest impact with our limited funds in the core areas of healthcare we support. We look forward to sharing with you the results of that work in the months ahead.
In good health,
Amy Schechner, Board Chair
Michael Schmidt, CEO/Executive Director